Smokers of mentholated cigarettes are no more likely to develop lung cancer than other smokers, according to a new, very large, prospective study of black and white smokers published online March 23 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. In fact, contrary to a popular hypothesis, menthol smokers in this study had a somewhat lower risk of developing and dying from lung cancer than non-menthol smokers.Lung cancer rates are higher among blacks than whites, and use of mentholated cigarettes, also higher among blacks, has been suggested as a possible explanation. Some studies have raised the possibility that menthol influences smoking behavior, causing deeper inhalation for instance, or that it increases dependency or affects the biology of the lung. Others have suggested that menthol makes it harder to quit smoking.

Lung cancer rates are higher among blacks than whites, and use of mentholated cigarettes, also higher among blacks, has been suggested as a possible explanation. Some studies have raised the possibility that menthol influences smoking behavior, causing deeper inhalation for instance, or that it increases dependency or affects the biology of the lung. Others have suggested that menthol makes it harder to quit smoking.

To explore these issues, William J. Blot, Ph.D., of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, Tenn., and the International Epidemiology Institute, Rockville, Md., and colleagues conducted a prospective study among 85,806 people enrolled in the Southern Community Cohort Study, an ongoing multiracial study in 12 southern states. Within this cohort, they identified 440 lung cancer patients and compared them with 2,213 matched controls (other people in the study with the same demographics, such as race, age, and sex, but without lung cancer).

They found that menthol cigarettes were associated with a lower lung cancer incidence and fewer lung cancer deaths than regular cigarettes. For instance among people smoking 20 or more cigarettes a day, menthol smokers were about 12 times more likely to have lung cancer than never-smokers while non-menthol smokers were about 21 times more likely to have the disease. The differences were statistically significant.

January 30, 2011 - Alberta Liberal leader Dr. David Swann, a family physician, is planning to introduce a motion in the Legislative Assembly during the spring sitting to make changes to the Tobacco Reduction Act that would make it illegal for adults to smoke in vehicles while children under the age of 16 are present. (The Spring sitting of the 4th Session of the 27th Legislature will begin at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, February 22, 2011.)

"It's unfortunate to see Alberta falling behind on tobacco when even our neighbours, British Columbia (B.C.) and Saskatchewan, have moved forward with legislation," said Ashley Jensen, the cancer society's regional community engagement co-ordinator. "This is about protecting kids from preventable death, disease and disability." British Columbia (B.C.) brought in regulations in 2009 and Saskatchewan in 2010.

An anti-tobacco group, Action on Smoking and health, is urging the Alberta government to introduce legislation to ban smoking in vehicles when children are present. Newfoundland passed such a law on Thursday leaving Alberta and Quebec as the only provinces where smoking is still allowed inside vehicles carrying kids. Les Hagen with Action on Smoking and Health says that's a health hazard because as little as one smoke can generate as much smoke as a smokey bar. He says children are at particular risk because they breathe faster and their immune systems are still developing. Hagen says a recent poll shows almost 90 percent of Albertans would support a similar ban.

April 2, 2011 - A bill that would ban smoking in your vehicle when children are in a car seat is being debated at the Statehouse. The bill was introduced by (D) Sen. Darrell Jackson after he saw a woman smoking with children in the car at a shopping center.

Child safety seats are required in South Carolina for children 6 and under or up to 80 pounds. If the bill were to become law, a fine of $25 could be issued for a violation.

WASHINGTON, March 29, 2011/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is a statement by Matthew L. Myers, President, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids: The New York Assembly has protected the tobacco industry at the expense of New York's kids and taxpayers by pushing for a budget agreement that decimates funding for the state's highly successful Tobacco Control Program. This is a truly penny-wise, pound-foolish decision that will cost New York a high price in health, lives and tobac While these are tough budget times, it makes no sense to destroy a program that is saving lives and saving money and that has already been severely cut. If the new cuts are adopted, New York will have cut funding by more than half for programs proven to prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit. Instead of taking out the hatchet, New York should be spending more of the $2 billion the state it collects each year in tobacco settlement payments and tobacco taxes to fund this vital program. With these cuts, New York will be spending less than two percent of its tobacco money to fight the tobacco problem. Even with the success of New York State's tobacco prevention efforts, there is still a great deal of work to do. The sad reality is that 25,400 New Yorkers die annually from smoking- related disease, and more than 24,100 New York kids become regular smokers each year. New Yorkers will pay a high price because the Assembly has abdicated its responsibility to fight the state's number one cause of preventable death.

The American Cancer Society is fuming over the Assembly’s proposal to cut the Tobacco Control Program funding, which finances efforts like anti-smoking ads, from $58.4 million to $41.4 million. They say that’s less than 50% of what funding was in the 2007-08 fiscal year. a href="/news-releases/deep-cut-to-new-yorks-acclaimed-tobacco-prevention-program-benefits-tobacco-industry-at-kids-expense-118876704.html">Cancer Society: A good day for tobacco lobbyists X2, Rick Karlin, Cancr Sicity, Capitol bureau 3/29/2011.

April 1, 2011 - ALBANY, N.Y. -- "The tobacco registration fee nightmare that has haunted New York convenience store operators for the past two years is over," said James Calvin, president of the New York Association of Convenience Stores (NYACS). In the new state budget being adopted this week by Governor Andrew Cuomo and the state legislature, the astronomical fee hike enacted in 2009 is being rolled back to a more modest level.

The increase would have taken the fee from $100 per store per year to either $1,000, $2,500 or $5,000, depending on total gross sales--"a cynical ploy hatched by public health advocates to force 40% of the state's tobacco retailers out of the tobacco trade," he said.

NYACS and three other retail associations filed a legal challenge, however, obtaining a court order temporarily freezing the fee at $100 pending a final decision, which is still being awaited. With so much at stake, NYACS and its allies said that rather than risking losing the case, they should pursue the certainty of legislative action rolling back the fee. These negotiations produced agreement to set the fee at $300 per store per year, which was scheduled to be approved Friday day by the state senate and assembly as part of the 2011-12 state budget.

The $300 fee is retroactive to 2010. That means stores that paid $100 for 2010 and $100 for 2011 will now owe $200 more for each of those two years. Payment of the full $300 for calendar 2012 will be due on September 20, 2011. Thus, some stores will incur a one-time hit of $700 during 2011. But the alternative was a one-time "whack" of $2,800 to $14,800, depending on gross sales, if the court were to reinstate the higher fee schedule.

"The $300-a-year compromise may not be the perfect solution, but it gives the majority of our retail members the chance to remain in the all-important tobacco category without paying a king's ransom every year," said Calvin.

Retailers who in September 2009 sent in their 2010 renewal application with the higher fee amount before the restraining order was issued, will receive a refund or credit from the state tax department for the excess amount, NYACS said.

NYACS was joined in the lawsuit by the Long Island Gasoline Retailers Association, the New York State Association of Service Stations & Repair Shops and the United 7-Eleven Franchise Owners of Long Island & New York.

April 1, 2011 - A two-day national consultation will be held here April 4-5 in Delhi by the ministry of health and family welfare in association with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) to highlight the growing use of tobacco products other than cigarettes. A statement released Tuesday said that as per the recent Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) India Report, the current use of smokeless tobacco among adult males in India is as high as 32.9 percent and for females it is 18.4 percent. Overall, 26 percent of the adult population consumes smokeless type of tobacco. (India - govt releases results of GAT Survey..)

In the break-up of the state-wise consumption, Bihar scores the highest, 49 percent, while Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and Goa scored the least, at five percent, the statement added.

“Youth is also a vulnerable group to smokeless tobacco use. Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS)-India, 2009, revealed that 12.5 percent youth – 16.2 percent boys and 7.2 percent girls – used tobacco products other than cigarettes. The situation is alarming when the report says school going children aged 13-15 years, across 132 countries, were more likely to use non-cigarette tobacco products,” the statement said.

As per the GATS India report, khaini is the most common chewing tobacco product used in India. The statement said that use of tobacco, other than cigarettes and bidis (leaf rolled cigarettes), is high in the northeastern region and states like Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa.

Smokeless Tobacco Use by State..Click to enlarge.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, 50 percent of cancer cases among men and 25 percent among women in India are related to tobacco use.

“The two-day consultation with relevant stakeholders is expected to bring out recommendation aiming at strategies to regulate use of smokeless tobacco in India and Southeast Asia region,” the statement said.

If you want to continue to sell cigarettes, licensees must register their premises by the 1st of October at the very latest when new legislation will take effect. Anyone selling tobacco in Scotland will be required to sign up to the Scottish Government’s Tobacco Register which will come into operation on the 1st of April.

Under the Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2010, retailers must register to sell cigarettes and already some retailers have been posted registration packs, including some pubs and hotels, but not all.

The packs give information on how to register and also include a selection of signs for staff and customers that can be displayed within premises.

The ability to register, which will not commence until the 1st of April, will be straightforward and free. Retailers will be able to sign up to the register either online a www.tobaccoregisterscotland.org or by requesting a form from Trading Standards within each Council area. Notices/Singage will also be available for retailers to display in their premises. Retailers will then have until October 1 to complete the registration process. After this date, it will be illegal for retailers to sell tobacco products if they are not registered and could face fines of up to £20,000 and a possible maximum prison sentence of six months.

From the 1st of April, it will also be an offence for

* anyone under 18 to buy or attempt to buy tobacco products or cigarette papers

* anyone under 18 who is in possession of tobacco products or cigarette papers in a public place failing to comply with a request from the police to surrender these items or to supply a name and address

* anyone 18 or over to buy tobacco products on behalf of anyone under 18.

March 31, 2011 - New regulations aimed at reducing tobacco use in the province come into effect April 1, 2011. Starting Thursday, the sale of tobacco and tobacco-related products will no longer be allowed in pharmacies.

The ban also extends to retail stores that have a pharmacy located within the store or if customers can access the area where tobacco or tobacco-related products are sold.

“Pharmacists play an important role in promoting good health in the community, through education and encouraging healthy lifestyle practices,” said Health Minister Don McMorris, adding that the “focus on health conflicts with selling a product that is known to cause significant health problems.”

According to Dawn Martin, Executive Director of the Pharmacists’ Association of Canada, most pharmacists currently don’t sell tobacco and the legislation ensures pharmacies will “continue to be consistently recognized as trusted places to go for help and advice on medications and healthy lifestyle choices.”

The ban on tobacco sales in pharmacies is part of the Building a Healthier Saskatchewan strategy to reduce tobacco use and to help people quit smoking.

March 31, 2011 - The privatization deal for Bulgaria's state cigarette-maker Bulgartabac Holding,

Emil Karanikolov, head of Bulgaria's Agency for Privatization and Post-Privatization Control told the Bulgarian National Radio Wednesday that the deal is close to being finalized.

"We can't say that the main thing in this privatization deal will be the price. If that was the case, I think that Bulgartabac would have been privatized a long time ago," Karanikolov said, adding that the government has to balance between the price and the social commitments in order not to scare away the investors.

One of the provisions to be included in the future privatization deal currently mulled by the Bulgarian government is prevent the buyer from making a drastic number of layoffs at least in the first 2-3 years, and from renegotiating the labor conditions.

Karanikolov further said the government is considering including clauses for a deadline and volume of buying Bulgarian-grown tobacco.

Bulgaria's state cigarette maker Bulgartabac Holding, which is about to be privatized, completed 2010 with a net profit of BGN 20 M. Bulgartabac's 2010 profit is 16.5 times larger than it was in 2009. The consolidated income from cigarette sales grew 22% year-on-year. In 2010, 80% of the produce of Bulgartabac Holding was exported, compared with 53% in 2009, and only 31% in 2008. (Bulgaria - Bulgartabac 2010 profit 16.5 times larger than it was in 2009..)

In addition to its growing exports, the Bulgartabac Holding Group occupies 37% of the Bulgarian domestic tobacco market. 3.5% of Bulgartabac's income for 2010 came from the sales of tobacco leaves.

The Bulgartabac Holding Group features two cigarette plants – Blagoevgrad-BT and Sofia BT – and a tobacco processing plant, Pleven-BT.

Unofficial information reported in the Bulgarian media says that the bidders seeking to purchase Bulgartabac include companies from Bulgaria, Greece, and South Korea.

Bulgartabac, whose state management has been questionable in the recent years, is being put on the privatization table after its privatization has been mulled for years.

In January, Finance Minister Simeon Djankov reiterated earlier announcements that Bulgaria's government is determined to go ahead with the planned sale of the country's tobacco company, the biggest military plant and the minority stakes in electricity distributors.

The Economy Ministry revealed in January that the consultant Citibank has made preliminary inquiries with about 100 potential strategic and financial investors from around the world with respect to Bulgartabac's privatization in order to make sure that all "serious" investors that are not aware of the sale of the Bulgarian cigarette company.

According to the Ministry, there is a sufficient number of companies interested in the privatization of Bulgartabac because it is an attractive asset even in a time of crisis.

The two less profitable cigarette plants of Bulgartabac holding – in the cities of Plovdiv and Stara Zagora – were sold in 2009 through the Sofia Stock Exchange – for BGN 31 M and BGN 18 M respectively; the holding still owns the two larger and more consolidated factories in Sofia and Blagoevgrad as well as a number of commercial brands. he holding still owns a number of commercial brands (The most popular domestic brand is Victory.) Two of the less profitable plants of Bulgartabac holding – in the cities of Plovdiv and Stara Zagora – were sold in 2009 on Sofia Stock Exchange. (Bulgaria - investor shows interest in state-owned cigarette monopoly Bulgartabac..)

Bulgaria’s Economy Minister Traicho Traikov has assured that a strategic investor is eyeing the privatization of the state-owned cigarette monopoly Bulgartabac. "There is a strategic investor for Bulgartabac and the bidding will be opened by the end of the autumn,” Traikov disclosed in an interview for Standard daily.

Bulgaria’s Privatization Agency hopes to complete the sale of state-owned cigarette monopoly Bulgartabac in 2010. The privatization procedure has reached a phase in which the state is preparing its sale together with the consultant it picked in February, Citigroup Global Markets Ltd. Citigroup was picked winner after bidding EUR 1.018 million and 1.6% of Bulgartabac’s selling price in case of sale.

Bulgartabac Holding currently operates two cigarette factories compared with nine in 2004 and its market share has shrank to some 40% from 60% a year earlier. The holding still owns a number of commercial brands (The most popular domestic brand is Victory.) Two of the less profitable plants of Bulgartabac holding – in the cities of Plovdiv and Stara Zagora – were sold in 2009 on Sofia Stock Exchange.

Bulgartabac sale is part of Bulgaria’s center-right government plans to angle for strategic investors for key majors, such as the tobacco monopoly and a few energy companies, in which the state owns higher than a 50% stake.

The decision was taken earlier this year after the cabinet was urged to sell on the stock exchange shares in companies, which are part of the Bulgarian Energy Holding, in a bid to put the local capital market back on track.

March 31, 2011 -- A jury today, March 28th decided in favour of Philip Morris USA and RJ Reynolds in the first Engle case to go to trial in Clay County, Florida.In a press release Philip Morris USA said that this verdict marks the seventh win for the company in the last ten Engle cases tried in Florida state courts.

“We believe that, once again, the jury appropriately decided the company was not responsible for the plaintiff’s decision about whether to smoke or when to quit,” said Murray Garnick, Altria Client Services senior vice president and associate general counsel, speaking on behalf of Philip Morris USA. “Although Philip Morris USA won this trial, we continue to believe that the trial courts are violating Florida law and due process by allowing the plaintiffs to rely on general findings from a previous jury with no connection to the specific circumstances of these cases.”

Engle cases are a series of cases allowing individual smokers to sue tobacco companies after the dismissal of a class-action lawsuit in 2006 by the Florida Supreme Court.

Background: In December 2006 the Florida Supreme Court breathed new life into a case against the tobacco industry that had worked its way through the courts since 1994. The case is known as the Engle case (landmark 1994 lawsuit filed by Dr. Howard Engle that produced a $145 billion judgment against cigarette makers six years later). On July 6, 2006, the Florida Supreme Court cleared the path for hundreds of thousands of Florida residents to file individual lawsuits against the nation's largest tobacco manufacturers for injuries sustained from smoking cigarettes. The Court set a strict deadline for injured persons to file a lawsuit: July 6, 2007; which is one year from the date the Court issued its opinion. The Court ruled that individual plaintiffs can use previous jury findings against the tobacco industry in the newly filed lawsuits. (Cigarette Makers Face Thousands of New Florida Lawsuits..; Dr. Howard A. Engle, the veteran pediatrician who lent his name to a landmark class action suit against Big Tobacco, dies..)

Passive smoking is the leading preventable cause of childhood death in developed countries", Guadalupe Ortega, lead author of the research study and coordinator of the Atenció Primària Sense Fum programme at the Department of Health of the Generalitat de Cataluña (Catalonia regional government) tells SINC.

The data show that babies who sleep in the same room as their parents exhibit nicotine levels three times higher than those that sleep in another room. These figures show that they suffer from what is known as "third-hand smoke", in other words the harmful smoke particles that impregnate their parents' skin, clothes and hair.

Known as BIBE (Brief Intervention in Babies. Effectiveness) "the study highlights exposure to tobacco smoke among this very vulnerable age group in private spaces, where no specific programmes are yet in place", says Ortega.

The study, published in BMC Public Health, the results of which are currently being studied, involved the participation of 96 primary healthcare centres in Catalonia. The experts interviewed the parents of 1,123 babies (under 18 months of age), who had at least one smoking parent. They analysed hair samples from 252 babies in order to determine their nicotine levels, and carried out follow-up visits three and six months later.

The parents' statements largely coincided with the results obtained from the hair analysis - 73% of the adults said they smoked or allowed smoking in their homes, while 83% of the hair analysed showed up high nicotine levels.

The myth of ventilationThe hair nicotine analyses also showed that smoke toxins are not eliminated even if parents regularly carry out actions to protect their children's health. This was the case with ventilating bedrooms after smoking, smoking at the window, or when the baby is not in the house or in a different room. "The only way of keeping the place smoke-free is to smoke outside the house", the expert stresses.

The study also shows that parents' influence varies according to their gender. As mothers generally spend most time with babies, it is they who expose their children to the greatest levels of tobacco smoke. They were also found to breast feed for less time than non-smoking mothers.

Anti-smoking law helps children

According to the study, children are most heavily exposed to smoke in private places, such as at home and in cars, as well as in bars and cafés, where smoking was allowed in 2009 (when the fieldwork was carried out).

"The tightening of the law to control smoking is important because of its indirect effect on raising awareness among the public at large", the researcher explains. In her opinion, the application of this law has led to an increase in people requesting help to give up smoking.

The experts are now preparing a study to identify the factors that most strongly influence children's exposure to smoke. This information will provide paediatricians with a scale to help them detect the risk of passive smoking in childhood.

The observance celebrates the state's progress in reducing smoking rates across the state, as well as significant decreases in personal and state healthcare expenditures. The theme for this year's Tobacco Free Florida: Saving Lives, Saving Money.

During this time period, from 2006 to 2009, annual personal healthcare expenditures related to smoking have declined by $1 billion and as much as $4.2 billion in total personal healthcare expenditures have been saved as a result of the reduction in adult smoking rates(3). Lower healthcare costs mean more funds available for investment in business assets and a healthier workforce, which equals increased productivity. In addition, those former smokers are no longer spending money on tobacco products, allowing that money to be spent in other ways for their families, totaling hundreds to thousands of dollars each year per smoker.

"We see more and more tobacco products every day and too many young people are still getting hooked," said Kahreem Golden (Putnam County), Youth Advocacy Board Chair of SWAT. "Today, even though cigarette manufacturers are banned from selling candy-flavored cigarettes, candy flavored tobacco is readily available and comes in a variety of flavors that appeal to kids, yet many think they are harmless."

March 30 , 2011 - British American Tobacco (BAT) has been dropped from a landmark US ruling against the tobacco industry after a judge ruled the law does not extend to the UK company. US District Judge Gladys Kessler granted a request from Europe's largest cigarette maker that under US law BAT is no longer liable under an initial ruling she made in 2006 hat found tobacco companies had breached racketeering laws by collectively deceiving the public about the dangers of smoking.

BAT's lawyers argued that the company, which is based in central London, should be exempt from the ruling because US law did not have the authority to hold a foreign company liable for its actions outside the US.

Using a Supreme Court ruling from last year involving National Australia Bank as a precedent, Judge Kessler ruled the US had limited authority in trans-national lawsuits against foreign companies.

"There is no evidence that Congress intended to criminalise foreign racketeering activities," Judge Kessler wrote. However, she ruled that BAT would still have to contribute to some of the legal costs of the US government because it won the original ruling. Philip Pfeffer, a lawyer for BAT, said that it was pleased with the decision.

March 29, 2011 - A state survey released this month found that the rate of youths who smoke cigarettes didn’t increase, but those who are using candy flavored or other alternative tobacco products did.

According to the Washington State Department of Health’s biannual Healthy Youth Survey, there were no significant increases in the rate of smokers among sixth-, eight-, 10th-, and 12th-graders who participated since a decade ago.

But cigarettes aside, another potential problem that the health department wants people to know about is the increase in “alternative” tobacco, and nicotine products, which are seemingly targeted at youth characteristics such as their candy flavor.

King County's results from the survey:

* In 2010, among students in 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12thgrades, the current cigarette use (smoked cigarettes during the past 30 days) prevalence were 1%, 4%, 8%, and 15% respectively. * The statewide rates in these grades were higher at 2%, 6%, 12%, and 19% respectively. * Current cigarette use appears to have peaked in 2008 and declined between 2008 and 2010, from 14% to 8% for grade 10, and from 19% to 15% for grade 12. * In 2010, for students in 10th and 12th grades respectively, 3% and 6% were current frequent cigarette users, 4% and 6% used smokeless tobacco, and 7% and 14% smoked cigar during the previous 30 days. * The prevalence of frequent cigarette use, cigar use, and smokeless tobacco use all declined between 2008 and 2010, but the changes in smokeless tobacco use were not statistically significant.

At home, Esse accounts for 85 per cent of super-slim cigarettes. According to Euromonitor International, in 2009, sales of Esse stood at 29.2 billion, compared with Virginia Slim’s 17 billion and Vogue’s 11 billion.

“Since its inception in 1996, we have nurtured Esse as a global brand,” said Huh Up, who is in charge of the company’s global businesses. “It is currently available in around 40 states and regions including Russia and the Middle East.”

“In particular, Esse is presently the top-selling super-slim cigarette in Iran, Uzbekistan and Indonesia. In Russia it accounts for more than 10 per cent in the segment.”

Huh said that as well as exporting Esse, KT&G had established factories abroad to “generate products with local relevance”.

The company was determined to foster a “host of globally famous brands” and become a genuine international player, he added.

March 29, 2011 - Japan's dominant tobacco company on Friday said it would halt shipments of all its 97 tobacco products due to disruption from a huge earthquake and tsunami that struck the country two weeks ago.

Japan Tobacco (JT), which has a roughly two-thirds share of the domestic market and in which the government has a 50 percent stake, will temporarily halt shipments from Wednesday through April 10.

JT blamed serious disruption to supply chains and production issues after the 9.0-magnitude earthquake on March 11, which unleashed a massive tsunami that devastated swathes of the northeastern coast.

The company said it would temporarily limit output to its 25 key products such as Mild Seven and Seven Stars as it restocks product inventories to secure a stable supply of its top brands.

It blamed the 12-day shipment halt on "deteriorated distribution conditions", damage to facilities and scheduled blackouts following Japan's biggest ever recorded quake.

JT said time would be needed for damaged factories to recover.

It said the 25 key products that will temporarily become its focus will be sourced from factories in western Japan.

The 25 products cover approximately 65 percent of its consumer base according to shipment volume recorded last month, the company said.

More than 27,000 people are confirmed dead or listed as missing in Japan following the huge earthquake and the monster wall of water it unleashed.Economists are reviewing daily their increasingly bleak forecasts for an economy that has seen infrastructure along the northeast coast shattered, and power outages in the Tokyo region. Firms have closed plants, hitting output.

Exports of key components and equipment used in the assembly of goods abroad, such as silicon wafers, liquid-crystal displays and electric machinery, have also been hit, last week sending shockwaves across global markets.

JT's factories at Kita-Kanto, Koriyama and Tomobe have suspended operations because of damage to the facilites, as has Tagajo factory of Nihon Filter, a JT group company. The extent of the damage is currently being assessed.

There was further damage to JT’s buildings in Morioka, Sendai, Mito and Utsunomiya sales offices, Sendai order processing center, and some distribution depots (located in Aomori, Morioka, Sendai, Mito and Utsunomiya) which belong to TS Network, a JT Group company, and some of these operations were suspended. JT is continuing production in each of the group’s factories west of Tokai District.